The use of synthetic polymers in medicine during World War II marked the beginning of biomaterials science. These materials enabled many new medical treatments that benefited tens of millions of people annually. The advancement of modern medicine demands materials with biological functions, which are lacking in most of the current biomaterials in clinical use. Proper physiological functions rely on a diverse array of materials, the main building blocks of which are amino acids. Numerous bioactivities rely on the versatile amino acid side chains. Further, amino acid derivatives such as dopamine and serotonin are vital signaling molecules in biological processes. Current approaches to functional biomaterials including protein engineering and self-assembled synthetic polypeptides have limited diversity in material properties and functions (most of these polypeptides are hydrogels). Combinatorial chemistry can greatly increase material diversity; however this strategy has yet to be applied to biomolecules. The resulting biomolecules can be used in a variety of applications, including but not limited to medical treatments.
State-of-the-art medical treatments still have limited success in restoring functions to nervous systems after a major assault. A promising solution to this challenge is to induce neurite sprouting and guide the regenerating nerve by appropriately-designed biomaterials. Biomimetic polymers with proper information content and functionality can direct appropriate cellular responses. One way to achieve biomimicry is to integrate biomolecules into polymers. Surface-tethered neurotransmitters can activate the corresponding cellular receptors and neurotransmitters directly integrated into a biomimetic polymer can induce specific responses from neurons.
Numerous materials have been employed to promote nerve regeneration, with properties that range from hydrophobic to hydrophilic, degradable to non-degradable, resistant to protein adsorption to protein-based, and soft to hard. These materials often use laminin epitopes, such as Ile-Lys-Val-Ala-Val (SEQ ID NO:1), to enhance neuron adhesion and sprouting. Because neural activities are highly regulated by neurotransmitters, integrating them into materials may impart bioactivity to synthetic polymers and render them biomimetic. Such biomaterial may lead to an alternative approach to nerve regeneration.
Therefore, it is an object of the invention to provide biomimetic polymers, particularly biodegradable biomimetic polymers.
It is another object to provide biomimetic polymer matrices.
It is still another object to provide biomimetic polymers for use in tissue engineering.
It is a further object to provided matrices for delivery of bioactive factors.
It is yet another object to provide compositions and methods for promoting wound healing and cell differentiation.
It is a further object to provide biomimetic polymers for delivering therapeutic agents including nucleic acids and growth factors.